Australian Cities, States and Territories - Tourism Australia Add Share Mainland Australia is the world’s largest island but also the smallest continent. The country is divided into six states and two territories. What are Australia's cities, states and territories? Mainland Australia is the world’s largest island but also the smallest continent. The country is divided into six states and two territories. Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) bounds the national capital of Canberra and is the centre of government. The Australian Capital Territory is located approximately 290 kilometres (180 miles) south of Sydney, and is home to a number of important national institutions, including Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial and the National Gallery of Australia. New South Wales New South Wales (NSW) is Australia’s oldest and most populous state. New South Wales was originally settled as a penal colony on the shores of Port Jackson where the bustling capital city of Sydney now stands. Sydney is the nation’s largest city and is renowned for its idyllic beaches, great walks and world-class dining. New South Wales is also home to popular attractions including the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley wine region. Northern Territory At the top end of Australia lies the Northern Territory (NT).

Darwin , on the northern coast, is the capital, and Alice Springs is the principal inland town. Alice Springs is the physical heart of Australia, almost exactly at the nation's geographical centre. The Northern Territory is home to the famous Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and Kakadu National Park . Queensland Queensland (QLD) is Australia’s second-largest state (in size) and is home to the world famous Great Barrier Reef , the world’s most extensive subtropical rainforest and the beautiful Queensland Islands – including the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island . Brisbane is the state’s capital; it enjoys more winter sunshine and warmth than most Australian cities and is perfect for outdoor activities and water sports. South Australia South Australia (SA) sits in the southern central part of the country, and covers some of the most arid parts of the continent. The state’s capital is Adelaide and is a great base for exploring the Barossa wineries, the Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island . South Australia has a thriving arts scene and is known as the ‘Festival State’, with more than 500 events and festivals taking place there each year.

Tasmania Tasmania (TAS) is separated from mainland Australia by the Bass Strait and is the smallest state in Australia. The capital, Hobart , was founded in 1804 as a penal colony, and is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. One-fifth of Tasmania is covered by national parks and wilderness – abundant in driving routes and walking trails – and it is one of the world’s most mountainous islands. Victoria Victoria (VIC) is the smallest of the mainland states in size but is home to the country’s second most populated city, Melbourne . Often referred to as the nation’s cultural capital, Melbourne is famed for its graffiti laneways, fashion-forward boutiques and booming café scene. Victorians' enthusiasm for sport is also legendary and this is where Australian Rules football began. The only thing more sacred than the footy is Melbournians love of coffee, and here you’ll find some of Australia’s best flat whites, cappuccinos and piccolo lattes. Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is Australia’s largest state and is a place of true contrasts: from desert in the east to 13,000 kilometres of pristine coastline on the west.

The state’s capital is Perth ; the fourth most populous city in Australia and famed for its uncrowded beaches, parklands and fresh seafood. Off the coast of Esperance, in the state’s south, is Middle Island, which is home to the extraordinary pink-coloured Lake Hillier . Australia also administers Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, the Cocos (or Keeling) Islands, the Coral Sea Islands, Heard and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island and the Australian Antarctic Territory (covering 42 per cent of the Antarctic continent) as external territories. MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS Victoria | Australia | Photos | OzOutback Australia Tasmania Victoria - Australia's smallest mainland State The south eastern state of Victoria, although less than 3% of the total land area of Australia, has a quarter of its population; settlement by whites started in 1830 and in the 1850s gold attracted many settlers. Victoria's Aboriginal population, that is estimated to have been around 30,000 before Europeans arrived, declined as a result, but experiences a cultural revival today. Victoria is now the second most populous state in Australia, after New South Wales , with an population of over 5 million.

Yet, in spite of being relatively densely populated, there are many places to get away from it all, beautiful lakes, shoreline and hills. To see a photo full size, just click on it; you may then send it as a postcard if you wish. Back to Menu at Top of the Page Mountains cover much of the eastern and central parts of the state and there are many National Parks with marvellous scenery. The Murray River, Australia's longest permanently flowing river, rises in the mountains in the east and flows to the north west, forming much of the boundary between Victoria and New South Wales. Because of human activity the river is now in serious decline. There used to be paddle steamers on the river in the old days, examples of which can still be seen in the town of Echuca and at the historic Pioneer Settlement, an open air museum in Swan Hill, Australia's first. Further south is the Upper Yarra Valley with its centre of Warburton and the Yarra Ranges National Park, with its cool rain forests.

The Dandenong Ranges, only 35 kilometres from Melbourne , offer walking tracks in the forests and the wonderful William Ricketts Sanctuary, a park filled with clay- and ceramic sculptures by William Ricketts (1898 - 1993) who often travelled to Central Australia during the fifties to live with tribal Aborigines: his sculptures, made over a period of over fifty years, reflect his philosophy, connecting with Aboriginal spirituality. Australian States and Territories These Info-Packed Videos Of The Australian States And Territories Tell It All A concise and down to earth Aussie view on our Australian States and Territories. You can get all the information you need by watching the videos on every state and territory too. We've moved around a lot in our lives and lived in a lot Australian States, kind of like that old song; "I've been everywhere man" . And when you move around you notice little differences, not only in the landscapes and the people but in other ways too.

I think there's a bit of larrikin in all of us, of course, and there's certain things that all Aussie's just know; like you can call Wagga Wagga (a city in New South Wales) Wagga but you can't call Woy Woy (a town in New South Wales) just Woy, because that would sound stupid! You notice little differences in the way things are done and the names for certain things too; for instance in South Australia you call a roll of luncheon meat (sort of like boloney) Fritz, in Queensland it's just called Luncheon and in Victoria it's Devon.

There are also differences in the way people speak as well as the rivalries between certain states; like the rivalry between South Oz and Victoria over the Aussie Rules Footy, our beers and the Grand Prix (South Australians still think they stole it!) The huge competiveness between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons when the State of Origin Rugby League time of year comes around and we all dress up in our colours and cheer on our team (Go the Maroons!) We all love the cricket, of course, and take great delight in beating the Poms (the English) in the Ashes Series; all uniting under a sea of Green and Gold mateship to watch our team bring the Ashes Urn home for us (of course the Poms try and stop us and sometimes they do!) Everything you need is in our info packed videos on all the Australian States and Mainland Territories; just click on the links below. Australian States New South Wales The original site of European settlement and home to the most spectacular Harbour in the world (the sight of that beautiful Harbour still takes my breath away whenever I fly into Sydney), the amazing Sydney Harbour Bridge and the World Famous Sydney Opera House.

New South Wales is the 5th state or territory in area at around 800,620 square kilometres, located in the southeast of the Australian mainland, it is bordered by Victoria to the south, Queensland to the north, South Australia to the west and the Pacific Ocean/Tasman Sea to the east. Victoria Birthplace of Aussie Icon Ned Kelly (they hung him there too!) and home of the beautiful garden city of Melbourne and the first seat of Australian Parliament. Victoria is the 6th state or territory in area at around 227,000 square kilometres, located in the southeast of the Australian mainland, it is bordered by New South Wales to the north, South Australia to the west and by the Indian Ocean, Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea to the south. Queensland "Beautiful One Day, Perfect The Next" The slogan that says it all, and home to the spectacular Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest and the Holiday Playground of Australia, The Gold Coast.

Queensland is the 2nd state or territory in area at around 1,724,000 square kilometres, located in the northeast corner of the Australian mainland, it is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, by South Australia to the south west, by New South Wales to the south and by the Coral Sea and the Pacific Ocean to the east. South Australia The "Only Free Settled of the Australian States" (no convicts sent here mate!) and home of the world famous wine regions, Adelaide Festival, the Fringe, WOMADelaide and the Tour Down Under. South Australia is the 4th state or territory in area at around 978,810 square kilometres, located in the south central part of the Australian mainland, it is bordered by the Northern Territory to the north, by Queensland to the northeast, by Western Australia to the west, by New South Wales and Victoria to the east, by the Great Australian Bight and the Indian Ocean to the south.

Western Australia The only Australian State that was not a part of the Colony of New South Wales at some point; home to big blue skies, the unspoilt wilderness of the Kimberly's with its deep red gorges and the longest straight stretch of railway line in the world. Western Australia is the 1st(largest)Australian state or territory in area at around 2,526,786 square kilometres, located in the western part of the Australian continent and covering a third of the mainland, it is bordered by South Australia and the Northern Territory to the east and by the Indian Ocean to the north, west and south. Tasmania The only State not located on the Aussie Mainland, originally known on as Van Diemens Land (and they were really big on housing convicts back in the day) Home of diverse landscapes and astounding scenery of glacial mountains, cascading waterfalls, dense forests, rolling green hills and pristine wild beauty make Tassie a favourite destination for nature lovers. Tasmania is the 7th state or territory in area at around 64,500 square kilometres, located off the southeastern corner of the Australian mainland approximately 240 kilometres south of Victoria and separated by Bass Strait.

The Indian Ocean lies to the west and the Tasman Sea to the east. Mainland Territories The Australian Capital Territory One of Oz's Mainland Territories; created to house our Federal Parliament because of the rivalry that existed between Sydney (the first city) and Melbourne (the first seat of Parliament) competitive even back then! Home of our National Museum, War Memorial and National Gallery. The Australian Capital Territory is the 8th (smallest) Australian state or territory in area at around 2,350 square kilometres, located within the state of New South Wales. The Northern Territory Australia's Top End, where you experience the spirit of the Aussie Outback; home to some of the most spectacular, diverse and contrasting environments in our big brown land including Kakadu and Uluru. Northern Territory is the 3rd state or territory in area at around 1,335,742 square kilometres, located in the central north of the Australian mainland, It is bordered by Western Australia to the west, by South Australia to the south, by Queensland to the east and by the Timor Sea, the Arafura Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria to the north.

Australian States Australian States Click on the Australian map to see photos and information for each state. Australia has six states, two main territories, and several smaller territories. The states include New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and the island state of Tasmania. The two main territories are the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory which function like states, but the federal parliament Of Australia can override any legislation of a territory parliament. There are also a number of minor territories which include: are Jervis Bay which exists on the mainland and external territories including: Norfolk Island, Cocos Islands, Christmas Island, and a number of uninhabited territories including: Coral Sea Islands, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, as well as the Australian Antarctic Territory. States listed below are in order of greatest area. Western Australia Western Australia is the biggest state or territory in Australia and the second largest state/province/national region in the world. The state is 2,529,875 km2, with a land border of 1862 km and a coastline of 20,871 km.

Western Australia accounts for 33% of the Australian continent and is bigger in size than Western Europe, four times the size of Texas, twelve times bigger than the UK, and twenty times bigger than England. Queensland Queensland the second largest state in Australia, covering an an area of 1,730,648 km2. Its land border is 3,369 km and coastline is over 13,347 km. Queensland is about the same size as Libya, about three times larger than Texas, and seven times larger than the UK. Northern Territory This territory is 1,349,129 km2 in land area, with a land border of 3179 km and coastline of 10,953 km. The Northern Territory is slightly bigger than South Africa, about two times the size of Texas, and six times the size of the UK. South Australia South Australia spreads across 983,482 km2. Its land border is 3185 km and coastline 5067 km. South Australia is almost the same size as Egypt, one and a half times bigger than Texas, and five times the size of the UK.

New South Wales New South Wales at 800,642 km2 and accounts for 10% percent of the total land area of Australia. Its land border is 4635 km and coastline 2137 km. New South Wales is bigger than Pakistan, slightly bigger than Texas, and four times the size of the UK. Victoria Victoria, the smallest of the mainland states is 237,629 km2 in area. Its border length of 2541 km and coastline of 2512 km are both the smallest of the states. Victoria is about the same size as Romania or the United Kingdom and just over half the size of California. Tasmania Tasmania's is an island that covers 68,332 km2. It has no land border and a long coastline of 2833 km with an additional 2049 km from other outlying islands totalling 4882 km. An impressive forty percent of Tasmania is protected as national parks, reserves, and World Heritage sites. Tasmania is about the same size as Ireland or Sri Lanka, about the same size as Missouri, or one quarter the size of the UK.

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory, or ACT, is located inside the state of New South Wales. It is by far the smallest State or Territory in Australia at 2,400 km2. It is 0.03% of Australia's total land area and has no coastline. It is comparable in size to Luxembourg. Australian States by area at a glance: Australia 7,691,924 km2 Western Australia 2,529,875 km2 Queensland 1,730,648 km2 Northern Territory 1,349,129 km2 South Australia 983,482 km2 New South Wales 800,642 km2 Victoria 227,416 km2 Tasmania 68,332 km2 ACT 2,400 km2 Geographical dimensions: size and shape, The Australian continent, Australia's physical environment, Geography Year 9, NSW | Online Education Home Schooling Skwirk Australia 1 Exams The size and shape of Australia Australia is a larger country than many people believe.

To travel from the easternmost point of Australia, Cape Byron in New South Wales, to the westernmost point of Australia, Steep Point in Western Australia, you would have to travel 4100 kilometres (km). To travel from the northernmost point of the country, Cape York in Queensland, to the southernmost point of the Australian mainland, Wilson's Promontory in Victoria, you would have to travel 3180 km. Overall, the country covers an area of about 7 682 300 square kilometres (km2). See image 1 Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world. The only countries larger than Australia are Russia, Canada, China, the United States of America and Brazil. Australia is a little less than half the size of Russia and is only slightly smaller than the United States. See image 2 Australia has an approximately oval shape, with the country wider east to west than north to south. At the north and south of the continent are two areas of water that cut into the Australian mainland, the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north and the Great Australian Bight in the south. The Australian continent Australia has a continuous coastline of around 30 000 km.

Scattered around the coast of Australia are more than 12 000 islands, the majority being continental shelf islands, such as Rottnest Island (Western Australia), Kangaroo Island (South Australia) and Hayman Island off the coast of Queensland with a few coral islands such as Heron and Green, and just a handful of true oceanic islands, such as Lord Howe. If the coastlines of the surrounding islands are included in the measurement of Australia's coastline, along with hundreds of bays and estuaries, the total coastline extends over 70 000 km. Australia has the world's fifth-longest coastline after Russia, Canada, Greenland and Indonesia. Australia's nearest neighbours are all groups of islands, or archipelagos. Some people believe that Australia is the largest island on Earth, while others believe it is its own continent because it has its own tectonic plate and unique plant and animal life. Some people believe that Australia is part of a continent called Oceania, which includes many islands such as New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. See image 3 While Australia is the only country that occupies the entire mainland of a continent, it is the smallest of the seven continents.

The largest continent is Asia, which covers nearly 45 000 000 km2. The next largest continent is Africa, followed by North America, South America, Antarctica and Europe. The Australian States and Territories The Commonwealth of Australia consists of six States: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia and two mainland major territories, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. See image 4 Western Australia Of the States and Territories, Western Australia has the greatest area, covering 2 529 875 km2, with a border length of 1862 km and a coastline length of 20 871km. Western Australia borders the Northern Territory and South Australia to the east, and accounts for 33% of the continent. Western Australia is approximately ten times the size of New Zealand. Queensland Queensland is the second largest State of Australia, spreading over 1 730 648 km2. The coastline is over 13 347 km, touching the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Coral Sea.

Queensland shares a border with New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory and its border length extends 33 369 km. The Northern Territory The total land area of the Northern Territory is 1 349 129 km2, with a coastline length of 10 953 km and a border length of 3179 km. It borders Queensland to the east, South Australia to the south and Western Australia to the west. South Australia South Australia covers some of the most arid parts of the continent, and is the fourth-largest of Australia's States and Territories, spreading across 983 482 km2. It is bordered to the north by the Northern Territory, to the east by Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, to the west by Western Australia and along the south by the Great Australian Bight and the Southern Ocean. South Australia's coastline length is 5067 km, while its border length is 3185 km. New South Wales New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous State. It accounts for 10% percent of the total land area of Australia (800 642 km2).

Its border length runs across 4635 km and its coastal length extends for 2137 km. It borders Queensland to the north, South Australia to the west and Victoria to the south. Victoria Victoria is the smallest of the mainland States (227 416 km2). It also has the smallest coastline length (2512 km) and the smallest border length (2541 km). Victoria borders New South Wales to the north and South Australia to the west. Tasmania The island of Tasmania is often referred to as the 'Natural State', owing to its relatively unspoilt and natural environment. Forty percent of Tasmania's land area (68 332 km2) is formally in National Parks, reserves and World Heritage Sites. Since Tasmania is an island, it does not border any States. Tasmania is separated from the mainland by Bass Strait to the south of Victoria. The Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory, or ACT, is located in inland New South Wales. It is the smallest State or Territory of the Commonwealth of Australia at 68 401 km2. It contains only 0.03% of Australia's total land area.

The ACT is bordered on all sides by New South Wales. Border Lengths - States and Territories - Geoscience Australia Border Lengths - States and Territories Border Lengths - States and Territories State/Territory Source for length calculations: GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 The border length table above lists the land border lengths between Australia's states and territories and also lists coastline lengths. The histories of how Australia's land borders came about are detailed below. Coastline lengths The total coastline length for a state or territory includes both its mainland coastline and the length of all islands in that jurisdiction. The accuracy of the length of coastline depends on the scale of the maps used to make the determination (the table above uses Geoscience Australia's GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 database). However, new technologies now being used will allow coastline length measurement to become more detailed and coastline lengths will be increased. Australia is the sixth largest country in the world and is the only one of the top six completely surrounded by water. The mainland and Tasmania also are surrounded by many thousands of small fringing islands and numerous larger ones. Almost forty per cent of the total coastline length comprises island coastlines.

As an island nation, coastlines play an important role in defining National, State and Territory boundaries. Calculations on Australia's coastline lengths are taken from Geoscience Australia's GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 database. The coastline data is nationally uniform, is sourced primarily from the 1:100 000 scale National Topographic Map Series and is the most authoritative data currently available on the length of the entire Australian coastline and the State and Territory coastlines as described in the Maritime Boundary Definitions . Border histories The definition of where state and territory boundaries lie has been constantly reviewed, sometimes causing great contention. Although most of the boundaries were defined in letters of patent by meridians, determining the physical ground position that corresponds with those meridians has never been easy. Floods, droughts, and frequent lack of supplies were just a few of the challenges dealt with by colonial surveyors. Facing the same harsh conditions as early explorers in Australia, surveyors also had a difficult job to do. Errors in the astronomically determined positions of observatories in Melbourne and Sydney didn't help matters either as surveyors of the time relied heavily on tying their observations back to known coordinate positions.

Given the possibility of discrepancies, border disputes have occurred between several states. Generally speaking, rulings have upheld the position of borders with established physical references or property lines. This is despite the advent of technologies which allow modern surveyors to accurately plot their location as originally described in the letters of patent for the formation of specific states. As a result, few state borders are actually where they were originally intended, or as simple as a straight line marked by a meridian of longitude. A Federation in these Seas is a useful document describing the history of the acquisition of Australia's external territories. Border facts The Australian Capital Territory is the only land-locked state or territory in Australia, and Tasmania the only island state. The Northern Territory is the only jurisdiction which has a shorter mainland coastline than the combined coastline of all its islands. Longest Land border New South Wales has the longest land border of all the states and territories. It adjoins Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory, making a total of 4 635 kilometres. Shortest Land border The Jervis Bay Territory land border with NSW is the shortest at 32 kilometres.

Corners of South Australia 7 892 20 781 A glance at most maps of Australia will tell you something that isn't quite true. The border which runs along the eastern edge of Western Australia is not actually one continuous straight line. The survey of the Western Australian border was first discussed in 1911, but it wasn't until 1922 that an agreement was signed between then Prime Minister W.M. Hughes, the Acting Premier for South Australia, Mr. Bice, and the Premier of Western Australia, Sir James Mitchell. The agreement set out the border as being a line determined by the 129th meridian east longitude. However, the agreement required that the boundary be defined by lines running north and south from independently fixed points at Deakin and Argyle. When survey work began on the South Australia - Northern Territory border in 1963, it was quickly realised that the earlier agreement precluded the possibility of these lines meeting exactly. Precise survey methods confirmed this and in June 1968 two monuments approximately 127 metres apart were erected at the junction of the boundaries.

This ceremony was attended by the respective Surveyors General, H.Comm from Western Australia, H.A. Bailey from South Australia, and P.J. Wells from the Northern Territory. The monuments common to all three jurisdictions was named Surveyor General's Corner at the suggestion of the Director of National Mapping. One interesting piece of trivia is that fewer people have visited this site than have been to the South Pole. Queensland - New South Wales border State/Territory 6 374 13 347 Letters of patent dated 6 June 1859 defined the boundary between Queensland and New South Wales as lying between Point Danger following watersheds and rivers to the line of parallel of 29° south. The survey was carried out between 1863 and 1866 from Point Danger to the Dumaresq River. Performed by Francis Roberts of Queensland and Isiah Rowland of New South Wales, the two were supposed to work together but when a falling out between them occurred, the pair each completed a separate survey. New South Wales records of the survey were destroyed in a fire and both State Governments settled on the Queensland survey.

From 1879 to 1881 the section between the Barwon River and the South Australian border was surveyed at 29° south latitude by George Watson of Queensland, and John B Cameron of New South Wales. The pair battled several floods and a drought to complete the job. The corner marked at the boundaries of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia bears Cameron's name today. In 2001, modern surveyors retraced the steps of Rowland and Roberts as part of a Centenary of Federation project, and found a 200 metre error. On the surface this may not seem like much to be concerned about, but the error occurs at the point on the New England Highway where the twin towns of Wallangarra (Queensland) and Jennings (New South Wales ) are located. Established in 1885, indications are that the originally intended boundary would put most of Jennings squarely inside Queensland. In an area where loyalty to state-based sporting teams, businesses, and beer is practically religious, declaring one town to actually be in another state is tantamount to heresy according to locals. Public sentiment is that Jennings has always been in New South Wales and always will be.

Victoria - New South Wales border State/Territory 130 2 137 When Victoria was made a colony separate from New South Wales in 1851, there was much discussion about where the border should lie. With natural boundaries being in favour at the time, one proposal was to make the Murrumbidgee River the boundary. After much argument, it was eventually decided to define the border as a bearing from Cape Howe, which is the eastern-most point of Victoria, to the nearest source of the River Murray and from there along the river's course to the border with South Australia. The use of a river as a boundary has caused many arguments and debates between the states. Originally it was thought that doing so would cause less disputes and require less maintenance, but as trade and tariffs became more important in the early days, the Murray also grew in importance as a major trading route. The river has changed it's course in some places over time and because the jurisdiction of New South Wales extends to the southern high bank of the River Murray, this may change the status of some land parcels affected by the river's meandering path.

In 1859, New South Wales claimed the pastoral leases of Pental Island near Swan Hill on the grounds that the island lay to the north of the watercourse of the River Murray. In 1872, the case was decided in Victoria's favour when the Privy council maintained that the main watercourse, being the channel of greatest discharge of the Murray, was to the north of the island. The line of bearing between the start of the River Murray and Cape Howe was explored and marked between 1870 and 1872 by Surveyors Alexander Black and Alexander Allan. In 1984 this line was resurveyed by the Department of Surveying, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and the section of the border was renamed The Black-Allan line in honour of those first surveyors. Victoria - South Australia border - - After Federation in 1901 it was decided that a seat of government for the new nation should be selected. The new capital would not be selected from existing state capitals to prevent further rivalry, particularly between Melbourne and Sydney. Several possible locations were suggested, including Albury, Armidale, Bombala, Lake George, Orange and Tumut.

In 1903, the House of Representatives initially selected the Bombala region by ballot but a change of government in 1904 favoured Dalgety and when political fortunes reversed again in 1905 the question was thrown open once more. Three areas were considered and visited by parliamentarians in 1906; Dalgety, the Canberra region and Lake George. John Gale, then proprietor of the Queanbeyan Age, pressed the virtues of Canberra in glowing terms while the counter claims of Dalgety were promoted vigorously. Neither the Federal Parliament nor the New South Wales State Government were easily convinced and on 9 October, 1908 a ballot win of six votes selected the Yass-Canberra region to be the location of the national capital. Yass-Canberra was defined as a triangle, with Yass at the top corner, Lake George to the east and the Murrumbidgee to the west. The national capital was known originally as the Federal Capital Territory and was formally transferred from New South Wales on 1 January 1911. Land-locked, the Federal Capital Territory acquired a port when Jervis Bay was transferred from NSW in 1915.

On 29 July 1938, the Federal Capital Territory was officially legislated as the Australian Capital Territory. Related Information Detailed Map of Australia - Nations Online Project Map Index ___ Detailed Map of Australia Australia is all in one, a country, a big island, and the smallest continent. With an area of 7,617,930 km² it is slightly smaller than continental USA (without Alaska ), it is the sixth largest country in the world with only about 23.8 million inhabitants (in 2015). Map is showing mainland Australia and neighboring countries with international borders, state boundaries, the national capital Canberra, state capitals, major cities and towns, main roads, railroads and international airports . Australia's general geographical features. There are three distinctive physiographic regions, from east to west are the East Australian Highlands, the Interior Lowland Basins also known as Central Lowlands and the Western Plateau. Two thirds of continental Australia consists of the Western Plateau, 2.7 million km² of arid or semi-arid land, about the size of Argentina , covers large parts of Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory.

Much of the Great Western Plateau is almost uninhabited desert in diverse configurations, the spinifex dominated Great Sandy Desert, the rocky Tanami Desert, the gravel-covered Gibson Desert which has also red sand plains and some isolated salt-water lakes, and Australia's biggest desert, the Great Victoria Desert. East of the Gibson Desert lies Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park with Australia's most famous natural icon Uluru , also known as Ayers Rock. South of the Great Victoria Desert and north of the Great Australian Bight lies the Nullarbor Plain a semi-circular, flat and in large parts treeless arid region, nearly twice the size of Cuba . In the northern part of Western Australia located is Kimberley, a region with steep-sided mountain ranges and a tropical monsoon climate, the region was named after the Kimberley diamond fields in South Africa . You are free to use this map for educational purposes, please refer to the Nations Online Project.

Bookmark/share this page One World - Nations Online All Countries of the World East of the Western Plateau lie the Central Lowlands, the country's fertile basins with the Great Artesian Basin (GAB), one of the largest artesian groundwater basins in the world and the Murray-Darling Basin which is Australia's largest river systems. Lake Eyre in the Lake Eyre Basin is the terminal point of the great continental drainage system and the largest lake in Australia (on the rare occasions when it is filled). Even if Australia is the flattest continent, there are the Eastern Highlands, also known as the Great Dividing Range. The Eastern Highlands are a vast mountainous region featuring Australia's "Alps". The mountain range separates the narrow fertile eastern coastal plains from the rest of the continent, the Outback. The Eastern Highlands are running along the entire length of the country's eastern seaboard (length: 3,500 km (2,175 mi)). All major cities Australia's are located in this part of the country. Highest point is Mount Kosciuszko, located in the south eastern corner of the country.

With an elevation of 2,228 m (7,310 ft) it is Australia's highest mountain. The world's largest reef system the Great Barrier Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The reef is composed of over 2,900 reefs and 900 islets and islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometers (1,600 mi) north-east of the continents eastern seaboard. The Great Barrier Reef covers an area of approximately 344,400 km² (133,000 sq mi).

Map of Australia Map shows the location of following Australian cities and towns: Adelaide, Albany, Alice Springs, Alyangula, Andamooka, Ararat, Armidale, Aurukun, AyrIngham, Bairnsdale, Balladonia, Ballarat, Ballina, Balranald, Bamaga, Barcaldine, Barkly Homestead, Barunga, Batchelor, Batemans Bay, Bathurst, Bega, Benalla, Bendigo, Biloela, Birdsville, Blackall, Blackwater, Bordertown, Borroloola, Boulia, Bourke, Bowen, Brewarrina, Brisbane, Broken Hill, Broome, Bunbury, Bundaberg, Burnie, Busselton, Cairns, Canberra, Carnarvon, Ceduna, Central Coast, Charleville, Charters Towers, Clare, Clermont, Cleve, Cloncurry, Cobar, Coffs Harbour, Collarenebri, Collie, Collinsville, Coober Pedy, Cooktown, Corfield, Corrigin, Cowra, Cunnamulla, Dalby, Dalwallinu, Daly River, Darwin, Denham, Denili

quin, Denmark, Derby, Devonport, Dirranbandi, Dongara, Doomadgee, Dubbo, Dysart, Echuca, Elliott, Emerald, Esperance, Exmouth, Fitzroy Crossing, Galiwinku, Gatton, Gayndah, Geelong, George Town, Georgetown, Geraldton, Gilgandra, Gladstone, Glen Innes, Gold Coast, Goondiwindi, Goulburn, Grafton, Greenvale, Griffith, Gunnedah, Gununa, Gympie, Halifax, Halls Creek, Hamilton, Hawker, Hay, Hermannsburg, Hervey Bay, Hobart, Horsham, Hughenden, Innamincka, Innisfail, Inverell, Ivanhoe, Jabiru, Jerramungup, Kadina, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Kalkarindji, Kalumburu, Kambalda, Karratha, Katanning, Katherine, Katoomba, Kellerberrin, Kempsey, Kingaroy, Kingscote, Kingston SE, Kojonup, Kowanyama, Kulgera, Kununurra, La Grange, Lajamanu, Lake Grace

, Lancelin, Launceston, Laverton, Leigh Creek, Leinster, Leonora, Lightning Ridge, Lismore, Lockhart River, Lombadina, Longreach, Mackay, Malbon, Mandurah, Maningrida, Manjimup, Mareeba, Margaret River, Marree, Maryborough, Meekatharra, Melbourne, Merredin, Middlemount, Mildura, Miles, Millicent, Moe, Monto, Moora, Moranbah, Morawa, Moree, Mount Gambier, Mount Barker, Mount Isa, Mount Magnet, Mudgee, Murray Bridge, Naracoorte, Narooma, Narrabri, Narrandera, Narrogin, Newcastle, Newman, Nguiu, Ngukurr, Nhulunbuy, Normanton, Norseman, Northam, Northampton, Nowra, Numbulwar, Nyngan, Oenpelli, Onslow, Oodnadatta, Orange, Ouyen, Pannawonica, Papunya, Paraburdoo, Parkes, Perth, Peterborough, Pine Creek, Pingelly, Port Augusta, Port Douglas, Port Hedland, Port Lincoln, Port Macquarie

, Port Pirie, Portland, Proserpine, Queanbeyan, Queenstown, Quilpie, Ravensthorpe, Renmark, Rockhampton, Rockingham, Roebourne, Rollingstone, Roma, Sale, Scone, Shepparton, Singleton, Smithton, Southern Cross, Springsure, St George, St Marys, Stamford, Streaky Bay, Sunshine Coast, Surat, Swan Hill, Sydney, Tambo, Tamworth, Tara, Tarcoola, Taree, Taroom, Telfer, Tennant Creek, Thargomindah, Tom Price, Toowoomba, Townsville, Traralgon, Tumby Bay, Tumut, Tweed Heads, Ulladulla, Ulverstone, Victor Harbor, Wagga Wagga, Walgett, Warburton, Warrnambool, Warwick, Weipa, West Wyalong, White Cliffs, Whyalla, Wilcannia, Wiluna, Windorah, Winton, Wollongong, Wongan Hills, Wonthaggi, Woomera, Woorabinda, Wudinna, Wyndham, Yamba, Yaraka, Yarr

alin, Yarrie, York, Young, Yuendumu, Yulara.

Administrative Regions, the States of and Territories of Australia The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories (abbreviation in parenthesis). States and territories of mainland Australia: New South Wales (NSW), capital: Sydney Northern Territory (NT), capital: Darwin Queensland (QLD), capital: Brisbane South Australia (SA), capital: Adelaide Tasmania (TAS), capital: Hobart Victoria (VIC), capital: Melbourne Western Australia (WA) capital: Perth The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, capital: Canberra , is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia. (see also: Administrative Map of Australia ) Australia shares maritime borders with:

Question: What is Australia's smallest mainland state
Answer: Victoria